Post-game notes: Reclaiming a spot atop more respected NFC West

The 49ers (4-1) moved into a first-place tie with the Arizona Cardinals (4-1). Surprisingly on their collective heels are the Seattle Seahawks (3-2) and St. Louis Rams (3-2).

Rather than view their place in the NFC standings — something easy to do with reigning conference champion coming into Candlestick Park next week — Smith said the 49ers are focused on defending their division title.

Coach Chan Gailey’s Bills have been outscored 73-14 after halftime of their past two games, including 45 points after halftime of last Sunday’s 52-28 loss to the New England Patriots.

“Obviously there’s something I’m not doing correctly with this football team in the second half,” Gailey said. “We’ve played extremely poor and that’s as nice as you can put it.”

On the 49ers, Gailey said: “They’re a strong football team. They are extremely strong physically and in all phases of the game.”

The Bills will spend this week practicing at Arizona State before facing the Cardinals next Sunday in Glendale.

* * *

Leading the Bills with six receptions for 39 yards was Stevie Johnson, who attended Rodriguez High School in Fairfield and Chabot College in Hayward. “This stadium is legendary to me, so I am happy I got the opportunity to play here,” Johnson said. “I was hopeful that it would have been better than it was.”

* * *

Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick entered the game with a NFL-high 12 touchdown passes but had none Sunday, completing 16-of-26 attempts for 126 yards with one interception (by Chris Culliver).

“They didn’t do anything that fooled us,” Fitzpatrick said. “There was no fancy stuff out there. They are who they are, and they played better than us today.”

* * *

Advertisement

Instead of Randy Moss becoming the X-factor for the 49ers’ offense, second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick has emerged in that capacity with the “WildKap” formation.

Kaepernick wasn’t needed to spark the 49ers to a win like last week’s 34-0 shutout of the host New York Jets. But he still made a highly visible contribution to Sunday’s 45-3 rout of the Buffalo Bills.

Kaepernick provided a touchdown run for the second straight game, a 16-yard effort through a wilted Bills defense for a 38-3 lead with 9:55 remaining. He finished with four carries for 39 yards, and he completed his only pass attempt for seven yards to Kyle Williams.

“The ability he has, you have to account for that and have to take advantage of that,” 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “He’s got play-making ability, and play-makers shined brightly today.”

It wasn’t all super, however, as Kaepernick bemoaned a second-quarter carry in which he lost a fumble on a 6-yard run in the second quarter. Three snaps later, he received what he called “a big pick me up” when Patrick Willis forced a Bills fumble that the 49ers’ Dashon Goldson recovered.

Kaepernick’s talents shined through later on a 15-yard run to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Frank Gore in the third quarter. Kaepernick and Alex Smith combined to run seven times for 88 yards.

“I just want to go out there as much as I can, and do as much as I can, to help this team,” Kaepernick said. “Anytime I can be on the field, I’ll be happy.”

– Five penalties in the first half had the 49ers wondering how many more yards they could have added to their franchise-record total of 621. “That’s the scary thing: It could have been even worse,” quarterback Alex Smith said.

A chop block penalty on Gore nulliefied a 41-yard reception by Michael Crabtree, a holding call against Mike Iupati wiped out a 21-yard, third-down-conversion catch by Vernon Davis.

“We left some out there,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said. “We had some frustrating penalties, but we came in at halftime, regrouped and just decided we were going to start over.”

– The Bills averaged a hefty 4.7 yards per carry, but skewing that average was a 35-yard run by Brad Smith out of the Wildcat formation. The Bills finished with 19 carries for 89 yards, as Fred Jackson tallied only 29 yards (nine carries) and C.J. Spillman 24 yards (seven carries). The 49ers have not allowed a rushing touchdown in 12 consecutive home games.

– Shut out last week against the Jets, Moss caught an 11-yard pass from Smith during a third-quarter touchdown drive. Moss was listed as the target of only one other pass, but Smith intentionally sailed that fourth-quarter attempt out of bounds while eluding pressure.

– Ahmad Brooks produced the game’s only sack, dropping the Bills’ Ryan Fitzpatrick for an 11-yard loss just after halftime.

– The 49ers’ five-quarter shutout streak ended early in the second quarter, when Rian Lindell’s 31-yard field goal pulled the Bills even at 3-3 and capped a 75-yard drive.

– Chris Culliver’s first interception this season came at the 49ers’ 2-yard line on a woefully underthrown pass by Fitzpatrick in the third quarter. It was the second career interception for Culliver, who started the game as the 49ers played primarily their nickel package.

– The 49ers are averaging 6.1 yards per carry this season, and the longest run all season was a 31-yard effort Sunday by Gore, who finished with 106 yards on 14 carries. The 49ers’ 311 yards Sunday were the fourth-highest in franchise history and most since a 328-yard effort in 1998 againstDetroit.

Kendall Hunter had a career-high 81 yards on 11 carries. Anthony Dixon tallied 21 yards on four carries, including the game’s final touchdown on a 3-yard run.

– Smith’s 237 passing yards in the first half set a career high, and they were the most by the 49ers since a 1998 win atAtlanta(266 yards).

– Rookie tight end Garrett Celek had his first career reception, on a 4-yard pass from Smith to end the third quarter.

– Running back Brandon Jacobs’ debut in a 49ers uniform will have to wait, perhaps until next Sunday’s game against his old team, the New York Giants. Jacobs hasn’t played since Aug. 18 knee injury, but he proclaimed himself ready last week.

I love blow outs like this, it makes it easier to eat my snacks. My stomach doesn’t get over acidified.

It’s clear to me, that Harbaugh and company came into this game believing they could throw deep against the Bills and did. They turned Smith loose, the took off his shackles and he shined. It will be interesting to see how this translates into next week game against the NY Giants.